# Kalayaan Avenue

Kalayaan Avenue is a major east–west route in Makati and Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. For most of its length, it runs parallel to J. P. Rizal Avenue to the north from East Rembo near Fort Bonifacio to Barangay Singkamas by the border with Santa Ana, Manila. It is interrupted by Bel-Air Village between Rockwell Drive and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). The avenue east of EDSA is designated as a component of National Route 190 of the Philippine highway network.
Previously, it was part of the Radial Road 4, which is currently designated to J. P. Rizal Avenue.

## History

Kalayaan Avenue was formerly called Pasig Line Street as it mostly followed the defunct Paco–Pasig tram line of the Manila Electric Railway (operated by Meralco) for most of its length; the street in the district of San Andres in Manila still bears that name. The line was built in 1908 but was heavily damaged during World War II. Subsequent development of the Bel-Air Village by Ayala Corporation in 1957 has led to the closure of a segment of Pasig Line west of EDSA. During the term of President Ferdinand Marcos, the road was improved and was renamed Imelda Avenue after his wife and first lady, Imelda Marcos.
In 1978, the feasibility study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency of the road was conducted, a 4-kilometer (2.5 mi) route named Radial Road 4 (R-4), spanning from EDSA in Makati to Juan Luna (now R. Jabson) in Pasig. It was planned to occupy the West Rembo portion of J.P. Rizal Extension (also known as Guadalupe–Pateros Road) but was realigned to follow most of the former Paco–Pasig tram line south of the road extension. However, the segment of a highway between a road that is formerly named Imelda Avenue, newly improved to J.P. Rizal Extension was only completed in 1994.
Following the overthrow of the Marcos regime, the Makati local government renamed the avenue to Kalayaan (Filipino for "freedom"). From 1999 to 2000, the Kalayaan Flyover was constructed on the eastern portion of the avenue, eventually connecting it with Gil Puyat Avenue. In 2014, under the Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and Its Surrounding Areas (Region III & Region IV-A; also known as the Metro Manila Dream Plan), the JICA study proposes a dual 2-lane elevated expressway from the intersection of Roxas Boulevard and Gil Puyat Avenue to the intersection of C-5 and this road for about 9.3 kilometers (5.8 mi). The R-4 designation was later removed from the avenue.

## Route description
### West Kalayaan

The western section begins as a four-lane road at the intersection with Zobel Roxas Street at the border of Makati and Manila, continuing the Pasig Line Street in San Andres, Manila. It cuts across the northern portion of the city, traversing barangays Singkamas, Tejeros, Santa Cruz, Olympia, Valenzuela, Bel-Air, and Poblacion. Starting as a two-way road, it becomes a one-way eastbound road from Pasong Tirad Street in Tejeros. From South Avenue to Nicanor Garcia Street, Kalayaan bounds the Manila South Cemetery and the former Makati Catholic Cemetery to the south. It crosses into the western edge of Bel-Air and Población, where St. Andrew the Apostle Parish is located. Kalayaan then becomes a two-way road once again near Century City. Heading east towards the intersection with Makati Avenue, Kalayaan is dominated by the Century City and Picar Place developments on the northern side. At Makati Avenue, the road traverses a major entertainment and hotel district, with many nightclubs, bars and mid to low-range hotels in the immediate vicinity. The section of Kalayaan east of P. Burgos Street is home to many sports pubs. It ends at a merge with Rockwell Drive by the entrance to the gated Bel-Air Village, where it continues as Mercedes Street.

### East Kalayaan

East of Bel-Air, at the intersection with EDSA in Barangay Pinagkaisahan, the avenue picks up as a 6-8 lane divided highway. It runs underneath the Kalayaan Flyover, heading towards the entrance to Bonifacio Global City, entering Barangay Pitogo and, therefore, Taguig. It veers northeast at the junction with 32nd Street, bypassing Bonifacio Global City. The road continues as it heads into Guadalupe Nuevo, where it briefly returns to Makati before re-entering Taguig at Cembo. It bends eastwards just before coming to an intersection with 8th Avenue in West Rembo. The road crosses 8th Avenue and then Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (C-5) at the Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange and ends at J.P. Rizal Extension in East Rembo. It then continues towards San Joaquin, Pasig as San Guillermo Avenue.

## Intersections

| Province | City/Municipality | Destinations | Notes |
| Taguig – Pasig boundary | Taguig – Pasig boundary | Buting Bridge over Taguig River | Buting Bridge over Taguig River |
| Taguig | Taguig | J.P. Rizal Avenue | Traffic light intersection. |
| Taguig | Taguig | N11 (Carlos P. Garcia Avenue) – Pasig, Quezon City | Other side is accessible via elevated u-turn slot. |
| Taguig | Taguig | 9th, 10th, 11th Avenues | Eastbound only, access to Bonifacio Global City. |
| Taguig | Taguig | Lawton Avenue | Traffic light intersection. |
| Taguig | Taguig | 8th Avenue | |
| Taguig | Taguig | Acacia Street | Eastbound only. |
| Makati | Makati | Commercio Street | Traffic light intersection. |
| Makati | Makati | Sgt. Fabian Yabut Circle, Anastacio Street | Traffic light intersection. |
| Taguig | Taguig | Gen. Jacinto Street | |
| Taguig | Taguig | Luzon | |
| Taguig | Taguig | Palawan | |
| Makati – Taguig boundary | Makati – Taguig boundary | Kalayaan Flyover entrance ramp (westbound) | Kalayaan Flyover entrance ramp (westbound) |
| Makati – Taguig boundary | Makati – Taguig boundary | 32nd Street | Traffic light intersection. No left turn allowed from westbound. |
| Makati – Taguig boundary | Makati – Taguig boundary | Kalayaan Flyover exit ramp (eastbound) | Kalayaan Flyover exit ramp (eastbound) |
| Makati | Makati | Harvard Street | Traffic light intersection. |
| Makati | Makati | AH 26 (N1) (EDSA) – Pasay | Entrance ramp to EDSA southbound. |
| Makati | Makati | AH 26 (N1) (EDSA) – Monumento, Quezon City | Western terminus of the East Kalayaan segment. |
| Makati | Makati | Rockwell Drive | Eastern terminus of the West Kalayaan segment. Continues to Bel-Air Village as Mercedes Street. |
| Makati | Makati | P. Burgos Street | Traffic light intersection; one-way road. |
| Makati | Makati | Makati Avenue | Traffic light intersection. |
| Makati | Makati | Salamanca Street / Durban Street | Traffic light intersection. |
| Makati | Makati | Kalayaan Loop Road | Former traffic light intersection, Kalayaan becomes one-way eastbound; access to Century City Mall. |
| Makati | Makati | F. Zobel Street | One-way road. |
| Makati | Makati | Nicanor Garcia Street | Traffic light intersection. |
| Makati | Makati | J.B. Roxas Street | |
| Makati | Makati | South Avenue | Traffic light intersection; one-way road. |
| Makati | Makati | Zapote Street | Traffic light intersection; one-way road. |
| Makati | Makati | Chino Roces Avenue | Former traffic light intersection. |
| Makati | Makati | Pasong Tirad Street | One-way road, Kalayaan becomes a two-way road. |
| Makati | Makati | Zobel Roxas Street | Western terminus, continues to Manila as Pasig Line Street. |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Incomplete access ||||||

## Landmarks

From west to east:
* Puregold Makati
* Manila South Cemetery
* Saint Andrew the Apostle Church
* Century City
** Century City Mall
** Trump Tower Manila
* Bel-Air Village
* Makati Science High School
* Kalayaan Flyover
* Santa Monica–Lawton Bridge
* Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange